water

October 2018 update on Sage Mesa water

  • Posted on: 11 October 2018
  • By: Michael Brydon

As you hopefully know, the Sage Mesa water system, which services Sage Mesa, Westwood Properties, and Husula Highlands, is privately owned.  There has been talk for years about transferring ownership to a local government (e.g., the RDOS).  The primary reason for this discussion is that only local governments are eligible for infrastructure grants from the federal/provincial governments.  In addition, local governments can borrow on favorable terms through the Municipal Finance Authority.  Access to grants and long term debt funding are clearly important for aging water systems in need of major upgrades.

Two things need to happen for this transfer of ownership to the RDOS to occur:

Issues: 
water
Neighborhoods: 
Sage Mesa
Westwood Properties
Husula Highlands

End of equal payment plan for the West Bench Water System

  • Posted on: 11 January 2018
  • By: Michael Brydon

The RDOS offered an "equal payment plan" option for West Bench water system customers.  We have decided to eliminate the option for the simple reason that it takes too much staff time to administrate.  Given that this staff time is charged back to the water system, this is ultimately a cost-reduction measure.  Those on the plan should have already received a letter telling them that they are being switched over to quarterly billing.  Quarterly billing is simple: you are billed for what you owe at the end of the quarter.  If you use more water in the summer (we all do), your summer bill will be higher than your winter bill.

Some background: two things are required to implement an equal-payment plan for the water system:

  1. Usage forecasts for each customer
  2. A reconciliation process at the end of the year

 

Issues: 
billing
water
software
Neighborhoods: 
West Bench

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